More job seekers refusing job offers: survey

Clivebenss SG

More job seekers refusing job offers: survey
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 29 June 2010 1508 hrs

SINGAPORE : Many Singapore employers are getting rejections from candidates whom they've made offers to, given the buoyant job market.

According to recruitment firm, Hudson, 40 per cent of employers in Singapore it surveyed said that candidates had declined offers of jobs made to them in the last six months.

This is almost twice as many as the 21 per cent who said that they had not received any refusals at all in this period.

And as hiring expectations continue to rise, workers will be spoilt for choice.

Hudson's Executive GM, Georgie Chong, said this makes the recruitment process more challenging.

"That good candidate in the current market is going to be very protected by the current employer. If you look at Europe and the US, the economic outlook there is still weak. Therefore, most of the growth is going to be piled into Asia. The budget for Asia is more aggressive compared to the headquarters," said Chong.

The single most important reason for refusing a job offer was the expectation of higher salaries.

However, Chong pointed out that employers would be willing to meet these expectations for key positions.

She added that companies may need to pay at least 20 per cent more to attract these candidates.

Chong said: "In certain sectors, for example in banking, compliance roles for instance where we need very specialist knowledge or critical revenue generation positions, and faced with a very tight talent pool, candidates have an upper hand.

"We've even offered candidates 30 - 40 per cent more but they still won't move because their employers come back with very aggressive counter measures."

Such counter offers from the present employer are a significant issue, being mentioned by 38 per cent of employers in the survey.

The Hudson Report also indicated that many employers recognise they must increase salaries to retain top talent.

Nearly half of respondents are prepared to offer increments of more than 10 per cent.

Other reasons cited for turning down job offers include candidates having accepted job offers from other companies.

In addition, the report showed that hiring expectations in Singapore are at their highest levels in nearly a decade.

57 per cent of respondents across all sectors forecast headcount growth in the third quarter. - CNA /ls

hasene SG

A continuation to bring bad name to Singaporeans. Nothing is said about the govt endorsing, condoning, practising exploitation. cnn

Chester_Lim SG

A load of rubbish good news which is a sign that elections are coming soon and the PAP is using their fake good news propaganda again to win our votes

Junyang700 SG

Utter crap.

I graduated last month and my friends and I are struggling to find a job.

We cant even get into a job interview. How to even reject the offer!!!

skythewood SG

Utter crap.

I graduated last month and my friends and I are struggling to find a job.

We cant even get into a job interview. How to even reject the offer!!!

Yup, because it didn't happen to you, it ain't true.

Junyang700 SG

Yup, because it didn't happen to you, it ain't true.

So you were the one who rejected the jobs?

skythewood SG

So you were the one who rejected the jobs?

Nope, it didn't happened to me... so it ain't true, utter crap i say.

Junyang700 SG

Nope, it didn't happened to me... so it ain't true, utter crap i say.

Haix.. Those who rejected the jobs were probably older workers.. in their 30s.... who have work experience and already have a job... and reject the job when they knew the new job pays lower....

For us fresh graduates... finding a job is hard enuff... Everywhere puts "2 years working experience".. wonder where are we going to land for a job interview, lest to even reject and decline a job offer.

skythewood SG

didn't you just say it is utter crap like 5 minutes ago?

Junyang700 SG

didn't you just say it is utter crap like 5 minutes ago?

Yeah.. but the report is misleading in a way it generalises everyone to be in the same situation. I believe more are suffering the same plight as me, as compared to those that reject the jobs.

parn SG

I'm not Univ graduate and I also rejected many jobs offer and also many guys offer, but I'm not in my 30s and I don't have work experience and I don't have a job.

Go and eat your own words ok? Tell me how it taste like ...

hasene SG

Yeah.. but the report is misleading in a way it generalises everyone to be in the same situation. I believe more are suffering the same plight as me, as compared to those that reject the jobs.

Their weapon against the singaporeans is creating sweeping statements.

Some weeks back it was reported that Poly grads grab jobs easily.

Arapahoe SG

i spoken to alot of headhunters since i am back. The job market pick up unevenly ......the banking sector is picking up but the job availabilities are mainly in sales and not alot of people want to take up, also these position don't pay well.

As for other post for professional manager.....I can only said that salaries has dropped.

If you can look at jobstreet.com......manager position only required 1 - 3 yrs experiences that means companies are unwilling to pay.

Service providers salaries are equally bad that reflects the low profit margins.

It is still employers market. I hope in a few months things will get better.....before recession hit in 2011.

I agreed that this report is misleading........

oh by the way as for wages -- always relatives to the cost of Living. So back to square one argument.---- Housing and Transportation,